Re: Anyone car camp?

i mean sleep in your car? i have a 2004 Honda Element and slept in it one time in Yosemite this last year... it's barely enough room, but workable... i can take the back two seats out and sleep there... i was quite warm, but need to come up with something for padding underneath me. any suggestions? (i don't think an air mattress will fit).

I've done it...too many times

So far I haven't found anything that works for padding in a Honda CR-V.

I'm not trying to be the moralist here, but I didn't think the Park Rangers allowed sleeping inside the Park.

I have personally seen them with flashlights going from car to car and writing citations during the summer months. In the winter, I guess there are so few people there that maybe they don't care. But in the summer - and I could be wrong about this - I think they will cite you for sleeping in your car.

If one person does it, who cares? But if hundreds or thousands start doing it, you have chaos in the Valley.

Another reason may be that people who sleep in their cars may want to keep their food in the car with them and that may invite an unwelcome visitor in the wee hours of the morning.

Again, not trying to be the conscience of the valley here, but I did think a person could be cited for sleeping in his car. Unless they have changed that policy.

---

Bill

I think if you sleep in your car in your paid campsite, you would be OK. I would not do it in a parking area.

Bruce Jensen

---

Wilderness forever,
Bruce Jensen

sorry.... i should have made myself more clear... i'm sleeping in my Element in a paid campsite. nuttin' illegal about dat. lol

Sorry about that. I should keep my "semi-knowlege" to myself.

I think park enforcement on a lot of things is very hit and miss in any case.

They give some solo hiker a big fine being in the backcountry who has no wilderness permit who is 5 miles from the next backpacker, and yet I've seen people with multiple, huge dogs on the Half Dome trail and the rangers don't say a thing - even though the trailhead signs clearly prohibit pets on unpaved trails.

I hope you enjoy your trip.

---

Bill

wbmyosemite wrote:

> I've seen people with multiple, huge dogs
> on the Half Dome trail and the rangers don't say a thing - even
> though the trailhead signs clearly prohibit pets on unpaved
> trails.

I'm very surprised about that. Dogs on the backcountry trails are a big no-no.

Yes, I thought it was a big no-no too.

But during my annual hike to Half Dome each of the last 4 years, I have never been on the trail where I have not seen a dog, or dogs between Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls. And I have seen a few between Nevada Falls and the Cables.

I've mentioned it to Park Rangers, but they say they are too busy to do anything about it. What's bad about something like that is that when one person gets by with it, then five more try. Then five becomes fifty.

When I say something to these peope with pets about not being allowed to have pets on the trail, they look at me like I'm wanting to take their child away from them.

I have nothing against animals, but some of these people need to understand the difference between their kids and their dogs. Dogs don't belong on the trails and the Park Rangers should enforce it.

The first time a mountain lion eats Fido for lunch, the owner will probably sue the Park...and win!

---

Bill

Generally speaking, many have always slept in their vehicles. In the past, especially those with vans or truck with camper conversions, station wagons, and RVs. My Subaru sedan back seats fold down. I use the passenger side folded down back seat as a location to sleep by fully stretching out with my head near the back of the passenger side front seat and my feet at the rear end of the trunk. When doing so I move gear from that side of the trunk into my front seat and place a foam pad down to smooth it out. Somewhat uneven surface so not as comfortable as sleeping in one of my tents.

And yes I have done so after paying for a spot in a car campground like those in YV. However that is usually not because I haven't bothered to set up a tent to sleep in but rather because of nearby groups making too much noise late into the evening. Inside my car deadens outside sound much better than ear plugs.

I'm more likely to sleep inside my car during the winter in snow country when I find myself reaching legal dispersed camping zones after dark. Of course those dispersed camping areas don't exist in national parks and are increasingly being eliminated in areas peripheral to parks. ...David

---

http://www.davidsenesac.com

extra blankets make good padding